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Killings of Elderly Women in Paris Attributed to Thierry Paulin (1984–1987)

SOLVED1984Paris, France3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Between October 1984 and November 1987, at least 18 elderly women were robbed and killed in Paris and its surroundings in a series of attacks that French investigators eventually linked to a single perpetrator through fingerprint evidence. The killings occurred in identifiable waves: October to November 1984, December 1985 to June 1986, and a final cluster in November 1987. Most of the 1984 killings took place in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, though some occurred in neighboring areas. The attacks generally combined robbery of small amounts of cash with violent methods; some victims were beaten, some had their heads placed in plastic bags, and one was forced to drink drain cleaner.

On 5 October 1984, two elderly women were assaulted in Paris. Anna Barbier-Ponthus, 83, died after being beaten and asphyxiated beneath a pillow and was robbed of 300 francs. Germaine Petitot, 91, survived a separate attack the same day but was too traumatized to describe her assailant. Eight more elderly women were murdered in Paris in October and November 1984. A second wave of eight further killings followed between 20 December 1985 and 14 June 1986; police determined through fingerprint evidence that these attacks were carried out by the same individual responsible for the 1984 murders, although that individual had not yet been identified.

Investigators eventually connected the killings to Thierry Paulin, a Paris nightclub performer originally from Martinique who had a prior 1982 conviction, suspended, for robbing an elderly woman at knifepoint. In the final wave of violence, Paulin is alleged to have murdered Rachel Cohen, 79, on 25 November 1987 and, the same day, attacked 87-year-old Berthe Finalteri, whom he suffocated and left for dead. Two days later he strangled Geneviève Germont, his last known victim. Finalteri survived and recovered in time to give police a description of her attacker. On 1 December 1987, a local police inspector recognized Paulin on the street from that description and arrested him. Within days Paulin confessed, implicating his former partner, Jean-Thierry Mathurin, in the earliest attacks.

Paulin was accused of committing 18 murders, though he claimed responsibility for 21, and was jailed to await trial. He never faced that trial: already diagnosed HIV-positive before his arrest, his health declined through 1988, and he died in the hospital wing of Fresnes Prison on 16 April 1989 from complications related to AIDS, including tuberculosis and meningitis. Because Paulin died before any court proceeding against him, the killings attributed to him were never judicially adjudicated as to his individual guilt. Mathurin was later tried for the first nine attacks and murders and convicted as an accomplice, receiving a life sentence plus 18 years without parole; he was released from prison in January 2009.

The case drew wide attention in France and inspired the 1994 film *J'ai pas sommeil*, translated in English as "I Can't Sleep", directed by Claire Denis.

Key facts

Victims
Geneviève Germont, Anna Barbier-Ponthus, Berthe Finalteri, Rachel Cohen, Germaine Petitot
Date
1984
Location
Paris, France
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1963-11-28

    Thierry Paulin is born in Fort-de-France, Martinique.

  2. 1982-11-14

    Paulin robs an elderly woman at knifepoint in her grocery in Paris and is arrested.

  3. 1983-06

    Paulin is sentenced to two years in prison, suspended, for the 1982 robbery.

  4. 1984-10-05

    Anna Barbier-Ponthus, 83, is beaten and asphyxiated to death and robbed of 300 francs; Germaine Petitot, 91, is assaulted in a separate attack the same day and survives.

  5. 1984

    Eight more elderly women are murdered in Paris, mainly in the 18th arrondissement, in October and November; fingerprint evidence later links these killings to the 5 October attacks.

  6. 1984-11

    Paulin and his partner, Jean-Thierry Mathurin, leave Paris for Toulouse to stay with Paulin's father.

  7. 1985-12-20

    A second wave of killings of elderly women begins in Paris.

  8. 1986-06-14

    The second wave of killings ends, bringing the total in this wave to eight more elderly women murdered since December 1985; fingerprint evidence ties the killings to the same perpetrator as the 1984 murders.

  9. 1986

    Paulin attacks a cocaine dealer with a baseball bat; the dealer reports him to police, and Paulin is arrested and later sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for the assault.

  10. 1987-11-25

    Paulin murders Rachel Cohen, 79, and attacks 87-year-old Berthe Finalteri, whom he suffocates and leaves for dead; Finalteri survives.

  11. 1987-11-27

    Paulin strangles Geneviève Germont, his final known victim.

  12. 1987-11-28

    Berthe Finalteri recovers and gives police a description of her attacker.

  13. 1987-12-01

    Paulin is arrested on the street after a police inspector recognizes him from Finalteri's description; within days he confesses, implicating Mathurin.

  14. 1988

    Paulin's health declines as AIDS-related illness progresses while he awaits trial.

  15. 1989-04-16

    Paulin dies in the hospital wing of Fresnes Prison from AIDS-related illness before he can stand trial.

  16. 2009-01

    Jean-Thierry Mathurin, convicted as an accomplice in the first nine attacks and murders, is released from prison.

Best coverage

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People

  • Geneviève Germont

    VICTIM

    Strangled in Paris on 27 November 1987, two days after Rachel Cohen's murder; the last of the killings attributed to Paulin.

  • Anna Barbier-Ponthus

    VICTIM

    83 years old; beaten and asphyxiated to death in Paris on 5 October 1984 and robbed of 300 francs.

  • Thierry Paulin

    CHARGED

    Identified as the perpetrator through fingerprint evidence linking the two waves of killings, a survivor's description, and his own confession after his arrest on 1 December 1987. Accused of committing 18 murders and claimed responsibility for 21. Jailed to await trial but died of AIDS-related illness on 16 April 1989 before the case reached trial, so his individual guilt was never judicially adjudicated.

  • Francis Jacob

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Local police inspector who recognized Paulin on the street from Berthe Finalteri's description and arrested him on 1 December 1987.

  • Berthe Finalteri

    VICTIM

    87 years old; attacked and suffocated on 25 November 1987 and left for dead. Survived and later gave police the description of her attacker that led to his arrest.

  • Jean-Thierry Mathurin

    CONVICTED

    Paulin's partner, implicated by Paulin's confession. Tried for the first nine attacks and murders and convicted as an accomplice, receiving a life sentence plus 18 years without parole; released from prison in January 2009.

  • Rachel Cohen

    VICTIM

    79 years old; murdered in Paris on 25 November 1987.

  • Germaine Petitot

    VICTIM

    91 years old; assaulted in Paris on 5 October 1984. Survived the attack but was too traumatized to give a detailed description of her attacker.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Paris, France

48.8566, 2.3522

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Between October 1984 and November 1987, at least 18 elderly women were robbed and killed in Paris, mostly in the 18th arrondissement, in a series of attacks French police linked by fingerprint evidence, a survivor's description, and a confession to nightclub performer Thierry Paulin. Paulin died of AIDS-related illness in April 1989 before he could stand trial; his former partner, Jean-Thierry Mathurin, was later convicted as an accomplice in the first nine attacks and was released from prison in 2009.
Where did the killings happen?
Paris, France.
Who was convicted?
Jean-Thierry Mathurin (Paulin's partner, implicated by Paulin's confession. Tried for the first nine attacks and murders and convicted as an accomplice, receiving a life sentence plus 18 years without parole; released from prison in January 2009.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in France

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICThierry PaulinWikipedia · 2026-07-12
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — tueursenserie.orgtueursenserie.org · 2026-07-12
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — moreas.blog.lemonde.frmoreas.blog.lemonde.fr · 2026-07-12

Record history

First published
JUL 13, 2026